Early Help Assessment (EHA)
The Early Help Assessment (previously known as CAF) is an assessment of the child / young person within the context of the family and community. It is not a comprehensive, core or specialist assessment and provides the opportunity for practitioners and the family to gain a better initial understanding of the child / young person's needs.
The Early Help Assessment:
- helps identify the child or young person's needs
- provides structure for recording information
- can support referrals to other services
- provides a common form of assessment which will be familiar across children and young people's services
- reduces duplication for practitioners
- reduces multiple assessments for young people and their families
- can be shared with consent.
The council has issued guidelines to support you in completing the Early Help Assessment and indicating a level of need. These are guidelines only and do not replace professional judgement. The guidelines have been produced in consultation with a wide variety of agencies within Sandwell.
Please see the 'Thresholds/Levels of Need' document for advice on threshold levels. This document provides guidance for professionals and service users to clarify the circumstances in which to refer a child to a specific agency.